Breakaway spinning top



y 1 1969 R. c. WOHLSTROM BREAKAWAY SPINNING TOP Filed April 27. 1967 FIG INVENTOR ROBERT C. WOHLSTROM ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,452,470 BREAKAWAY SPINNING TOP Robert C. Wohlstrom, 2305 S. Olive St., Santa Ana, Calif. 92707 Filed Apr. 27, 1967, Ser. No. 634,321

Int. Cl. A63h 1/04 US. CI. 46-62 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE of rotation.

Background of the invention Devices are known in the prior art for imparting rotating motion to toys, such as a toy top, but such devices have normally consisted of a pair of flexible members connected to elements which engage opposite sides of the toy to which rotating motion is to be imparted, or the elements confine the member to which rotating motion is to be imparted therebetween in some other manner. One flexible member is then grasped by each hand and the device is twirled to twist the fiexible members. The flexible members are then tensioned by the operator pulling his hands outwardly in opposite directions causing the twisted flexible members to impart rotating motion to the toy or the like. By repeated tensioning and relaxation of the flexible members, the toy is brought up to a desired speed and then by a sharp pull outwardly on the pair of flexible members, the elements to which the flexible members are connected release the toy confined therebetween and allow it to spin or roll free on a surface. With this arrangement, rotating motion is imparted to only one member.

A similar construction is known in the prior art where a pair of twistable flexible members are connected to opposite halves of a hollow case which may be separated by a sharp outward movement of the pair of flexible members. One or more discs, or a top, may be confined within the hollow case for release when the halves of the case are separated at which time the discs roll free on their edges or the top member spins free due to the rotating motion imparted thereto by confinement within the hollow case. ln this construction, however, the halves of the hollow case perform no further function after they have been separated.

A device for imparting rotating motion to a single toy element is also known in the prior art which consists of a single twisted flexible strand from which the toy depends wherein rotating motion is imparted to the toy by moving the finger down the twisted strand, forcing the strand to untwist and thus impart rotating motion to the toy. However, the art has not known nor anticipated a toy structure using this same general arrangement of a single twisted strand for imparting rotating motion to a pair of top elements where one of the top elements is a portion of a hollow case which is used to bring an enclosed second top element up to speed.

Summary of the invention A toy breakaway top consisting of a hollow case having first and second portions frictionally joined together, wherein the first portion of the hollow case is connected to a single twistable strand of flexible material by which rotating motion is imparted to the entire hollow case. The second portion of the hollow case is formed as a spinning top and supports a separate spinning top member interior thereof so that the second spinning top member is confined within the hollow case and is brought up to the same rotative speed as the hollow case by operation of the single twisted strand. By this construction, the first top member formed by the second portion of the hollow case is used to bring the second top member up to the desired rotating speed.

The frictional joint between the first and second portion of the hollow case member is such that when the desired rotating speed is imparted to the hollow case by movement of the operators finger down the twisted strand, a vertical jerk on the twisted strand causes the second portion of the hollow case, that is, the lower portion of the case which is formed as a top member, to drop away and spin freely on a surface. As the first top member falls away, the second top member flies free of the assembly and spins independently of the first top member. This construction thus provides a pair of independent freely spinning top members.

In one form of the invention provision is also made for a swivel connector means at the top of the single twisted strand of flexible material so that after the portions of the hollow case break away, the first portion of the hollow case on the end of the single twisted strand held by the operator continues to rotate, thus providing three independent freely spinning members, one depending from the operators hand, and the other two being detached freely spinning top members.

Brief description 0 the drawings FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the toy breakaway top according to the invention, and particularly showing the manner in which the toy is brought up to the desired.

Description of the preferred embodiments Referring to the drawings in greater detail wherein like reference numerals represent similar component parts, attention is first directed to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 which disclose the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The main component of the breakaway top structure comprises a hollow case 1, having a top portion 2, and a bottom portion 3. The hollow case is preferably of annular form, but it is contemplated that the case could also be formed in some other symmetrical shape.

The bottom portion 3 of hollow case 1, in the form illustrated, is cup-shaped, consisting of a generally circular bottom wall portion 4 and an upwardly extending side wall portion 5 integrally connected to the periphery thereof. An aperture 6 is provided through the central 'portion of bottom wall portion 4, and a raised boss 7 tic material. The portions of the hollow case may be formed of transparent plastic material, so that the second top member 9, to be described, can be seen through the case when it is in the assembled position as shown in FIG. 1. It is to be understood that conical member 8 may be molded as an integral part of bottom portion 3 of the hollow case, and/or that the conical member 8 may be of larger size than shown so as to form the entire bottom wall portion 4 of the bottom case portion. In this form of the toy, not shown, a boss 7 would be provided extending upwardly from the sloping inner wall of the conical member 8 to support the second top member 9 within the bottom portion 3 of the case 1.

The top portion 2 of hollow case 1 is formed similar to the bottom portion 3 and is comprised of a generally circular top wall portion 10, having a central aperture 11 therethrough, and a down-turned side wall portion 12 extending about the peripheral edge thereof, and preferably integral therewith. Top portion 2 of hollow case 1 is thus formed as an inverted shallow cup member. A depending lip portion 13 is formed on the lower terminal edge of side wall portion 12 and is disposed to frictionally register with and engage in mating annular recess 14 formed in the upper terminal end of side wall portion of the bottom case portion 3. Lip portion 13 and recess 14 thus form a friction joint between the two halves 2 and 3 of the hollow case 1. Lip 13 normally engages the vertical wall of recess 14 around the entire case, although the members are not shown touching each other in the exaggerated view of the joint in FIG. 3. In certain instances it has been found that additional friction holding force is required between the two halves of the case 1 so that they do not separate from each other before the case is brought up to the desired rotating speed. Small outwardly extending bosses 15 are provided at symmetrically spaced intervals in lip 13, to provide this required additional friction holding force. Bosses 15 extend into more intimate contact with vertical wall portion of recess 14, and it has been found that generally four such bosses 15 symmetrically spaced about lip 13 provide the required frictional coupling between the top and bottom case portion. These bosses may be molded on the lip 13 or may be formed thereon as indentations from the inner side of the lip portion.

A pair of holes 16 is provided through top wall portion on opposite sides of aperture 11 and in close adjacent relation thereto. A single strand of flexible material, such as cord or the like, is formed in a loop and terminal ends are tied through holes 16 as indicated at 17. This loop of flexible material thus provides two adjacent strands 18 and 19 which may be twisted together as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

A second top member 9, consisting of a disc 20, preferably of plastic material, and a spinning apex portion 21 extending axially therethrough, is placed within bottom portion 3 of case 1 such that it is supported on top of annular boss 7 and the lower portion of apex portion 21 extends through aperture 6 and into the hollow center portion of conical member 8. It is to be noted that disc 20 is provided with an upwardly beveled edge 22 which aids the second top member 9 in flying free of the case portion when they are separated. With second top member 9 nested within the first top member, that is, bottom case portion 3, top case portion 2 is assembled onto the bottom case portion through the releasable frictional joint as previously described, and in this position the top portion of apex member 21 extends upwardly through aperture 11 of the top case portion.

In operation, the top of the loop of flexible material is grasped by the fingers of one hand and hollow case 1 is twirled by the other hand to twist the adjacent strands 18 and 19 of the loop together, as shown in FIG. 1. A finger of the opposite hand is then placed between strands 18 and 19 of the loop and moved downwardly forcing the twisted strands to unwind and imparting rotating movement to hollow case 1. This operation may be repeated as many times as desired until hollow case 1 is brought up to the desired speed of rotation. A sharp vertical jerk is then given to the loop of flexible material by the hand engaging the top of the loop and this causes the frictional joint 13, 14, 15 to disengage resulting in bottom case portion 3 falling free or breaking away from the top case portion 2, and second top member 9 to simultaneously fly free of its confinement within the now opened hollow case. The first top member 3 and the second top member 9 fall onto a surface beneath top case portion 2 and continues to spin independently of each other as separate tops. The bottom case portion 3 which was used to bring second top member 9 up to rotating speed thus performs as a spinning top and serves a dual purpose.

The top portion of the loop of flexible material may be connected to a swivel joint member, as shown in FIG. 1, consisting of a pair of tubular members 23 and 24 joined by a swivel chain 25. In this form of the toy structure, the strand of flexible material extends through tubular member 23 and the hand engages tubular member 24 rather than the top of the loop of flexible material. With this arrangement, when the top members 3 and 9 fall free for independent spinning motion, top case portion 2 will also continue to spin since it is hanging from the operators hand by a swivel chain connector 25 and there is nothing to impede the rotating motion. This arrangement thus provides three separately spinning members.

A modified form of the toy top structure is shown in FIG. 4 wherein the second top member 9 is shown in the shape of a star. It is to be understood that the shape of the horizontal member of the second top member can be of various symmetrical forms. In this form of the invention, the spinning tip 21 which forms the spinning apex of the top, is connected to the bottom of the horizontal member 20' and does not extend above the member. With this arrangement the diameter of aperture 11 in top wall portion 10 of top case portion 2, does not have to be free of obstruction and the single twisted strand of flexible material 18, 19 can be looped through the holes 16 and across aperture 11 so that the hollow case 1 is depended from a closed loop. This provides a somewhat more simplified construction.

While the invention has been shown and described in certain preferred embodiments, it is realized that modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is to be understood that no limitations upon the invention are intended, other than those imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A spinning toy comprising, a hollow case having an upper case portion and a lower case portion, registerable means on said upper and lower case portions forming a releasable friction joint therebetween, spinning point means on the bottom of said lower case portion whereby said lower case portion forms a first spinning top, a second spinning top housed within said hollow case and supported by said first spinning top, and a loop of flexible material secured to the top of said upper case, whereby rotating motion is imparted to said hollow case depending from said loop by twisting and untwisting said loop, and said first and second spinning top members are released for spinning independent of said upper case portion by release of said friction joint by an upward pull on said loop.

2. A spinning toy as set forth in claim 1 in which said upper case portion includes a top wall portion having a central aperture therethrough, said second spinning top comprising a generally horizontal body portion and a spinning spindle extending axially therethrough, and said spinning spindle extending upwardly through said aperture in said top wall portion.

3. A spinning toy as set forth in claim 1. in which said lower case portion includes a downwardly converging bottom wall portion forming said spinning point means and an upwardly extending peripheral side wall, said second spinning top comprising a generally horizontally disposed body portion positioned within said peripheral side Wall and a spinning spindle connected to and extending below said horizontal body portion and extending into said spinning point means.

4. A spinning toy as set forth in claim 1, in which said lower case portion includes a bottom wall portion having a central aperture therethrough, said spinning point means being hollow and connected to said bottom wall portion beneath said aperture, said second spinning top comprising a body portion disposed in the plane of said bottom wall portion and a spinning spindle connected to and extending below said body portion and extending through the central aperture in said bottom wall portion and into said hollow spinning point means.

5. A spinning toy as set forth in claim 4, including upwardly extending support means on the upper surface of said bottom wall portion, and said body portion of said second spinning top disposed in abutting relation with said support means, whereby said first spinning top imparts rotating motion to said second spinning top.

6. A spinning toy as set forth in claim 1, in which said lower case portion includes a bottom wall portion having upwardly extending support means, and said second spinning top disposed in abutment with said support means whereby rotating motion is imparted to said second spinning top by said first spinning top.

7. A spinning toy as set forth in claim 1, in Which said upper case portion includes a depending peripheral side wall having a terminal edge, lip means extending downwardly from said terminal edge, said lower case portion including an upwardly extending side wall portion having an upper terminal edge, means in said upper terminal edge for receiving said lip means in releasable frictional engagement.

8. A spinning toy as set forth in claim 7, in which said downwardly extending lip means includes outwardly extending boss portions spaced symmetrically about said lip means.

9. A spinning toy as set forth in claim 7, in which said second spinning top includes a body portion spaced inwardly of and adjacent said lip means, said body portion disposed substantially normal to said lip means, and said body portion having upwardly diverging edge portions.

10. A spinning toy as set forth in claim 1, including swivel joint means connected with the end of said loop opposite said upper case portion and adapted to be grasped by the hand of the operator, whereby said upper case portion continues to spin after said first and second spinning tops have been released for independent spinning movement.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 185,476 12/1876 Beltair 4662 1,794,314 2/1931 Mueller 46-62 X LOUIS G. 'MANCENE, Primary Examiner. R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 4670, 72 

